Kislev Showdown. Slanntastic new teams.

[PurpleChest]

There are currently 2 Dark Elf teams on kickstarter:
The very traditional Vicious Corsairs by Meiko Miniatures. An established BB name. (22 days to go)
The sadly leery Predators Occulte for if you want your DE miniatures to all have pendulous breasts. (7 days to go)

Both funded to the goal already. A new CD team is also preparing to go live on kickstarter this month some time.

BUT, the new black, 2018's rock and roll is.... Kislev.

Yup. Out with the Slann and in with the Cossack/Slav/Polska Kislev (circus). Huzzah!

Three different Miniature manufacturers are all running kickstarters for a Kislev team. One at least has admitted it has launched early due to the first to launch, and now the third has also rushed onto kickstarter. All three are promising to be able to run Norse and Human rosters using the same base team with additional figures for the new positionals required. that makes 3 teams you can coach with one, though large, set of mini's. That's very tempting.

So, because I am tempted and want to make sense of what is being offered by each, and because I love a good scrap and think this could be fun to see unfold, I present the runners and riders:

Link and name:The Leaping Leapers
Form:
First out of the gate. Totally unknown Polish company Hexy with their first ever BB team, track record in other games though.

Looks:
So far we've seen 2 static looking Winged Hussars for the blitzers (wings optional), 2 dynamic looking catchers with droopy moustache and shaved head/top knot. 2 fairly static linemen with Cossack hats. There is some artwork suggesting 2 other Blitzer poses, more dynamic ones. The Bear is thin and angry looking, with prehensile chain. The Thrower sketches look like the catchers and the Ogre is a big Cossack looking sketch. it is not clear if each model will be unique. Very cool 3d Bears Head turn marker.

Cost of entry: $69

Stretch Goal levels:
Started for $3000, stretches at 3500, 4500, 5500 and 8000. All free stuff. Current $5114

Free Stuff: Decals, Coin, Turn Marker, coach/beer maid and Foam lined team Box.

Add ons: Ulfwerners (one sketch), coach, apoth, 2 Cheerleaders (cossack dancing), any single figure, turn/score marker- all $8. Bear/Ogre -$15. Coin and Stunned Marker $6 each.

Expected cost for versatile full set: $114 (4 Blitzers, 4 Catchers, 2 throwers, 2 ulfwerners, 7 linemen, Bear and Ogre)

Link and name:Kickass Cossacks
Form:
Second to start from Italians Gaspez-Arts and sculptor Raffaele Stumpo, the team behind last years widely admired Bull Warrior Chaos Dwarf team. Gaspez-Arts does fine teams, but not cheap.

Looks:
All unique models. 4 aggressive and dynamic Blitzers in Cossack hats and light armour. 4 Catchers look agile and active in cossack hats. 7 linemen in droopy moustache and topknot. the Bear is a work in progress but is huge/fed looking and will be armoured to some degree, so far lacks chain. Ogre is Cossack and pie loving. The Throwers are very traditionally posed and have the topknot look. Very cool coach and dwarf bomber cossack, but nothing else pictured yet.

Cost of entry:€69

Stretch Goal levels:Started for €4000, stretches at 6000, 8000, 10000, 12000, 14000, 16000, 18000, 20000, 22000, 24000, 26000, 28000, 30000, 32000, 34000, 36000 and 38000. Most unlock buyable stuff. their CD team got to €25,517. Currently at €7979.

Free Stuff: 2 balls, turn marker, 3 reroll and a Leader token, 2 Dice, 5 skill marker rings, prone/stunned marker and a Coach Figure.

Add ons: Apoth, Cheerleader, 2 Beer Babes, 2 Werewolves, 2 Beserkers - all €6. Ice troll €15. Playmat €23/€26.

Expected cost for versatile full set: €106 for 4 Blitzers, 4 Catchers, 7 Linemen, 2 Ulfwerners, 2 Beserkers, Ice Troll and Bear. no word on Throwers or Ogre yet.

Link and name:Northern Kyazak
Form:
Vórtice Miniatures, a Spanish company with facebook presence only but a few well liked teams made. Sculptor claims to be 'Vortice Miniatures' but in the past they have used the legend 'Pedro Ramos'. it is unclear if this is his work.

Looks:
All unique figures. 4 Blitzers with germanic spiked helmets, one with wings, one with face mask. All very different. 4 Catchers again with little cohesion between them but nicely in action. 7 linemen in dynamic poses but share hat range with the catchers. Strangely long but very aggressive looking bear, sporting chain. Ulfwerners are feral looking men with beast faces. Nothing else pictured yet.

Cost of entry: €65 (early bird) €75

Stretch Goal levels: Started for €4000. Stretches at 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, 10000, 12000, 14000, 16000, 18000, 20000, 22000, 24000 and 26000. mixing free and add on all the way. Currently €380

Free Stuff: Markers (Bear Claw is cool), Thrower 1, Coach, Thrower 2, Bear Markers, Cheerleader, Team Mascot

Add ons: 2 Ulfwerners €15, Chainsaw Star and bomber Star each €8, 2 beserkers €15, Yehti, Ogre and Alternative Bear each €15.

Expected cost for versatile full set: €120 for 2 Ulfwerners, 2 Beserkers, 4 Blitzers, 2 Throwers, 4 Catchers, 7 Linemen, Bear and 1 of Yehti/Ogre. Comes with Coach, Cheeleader and Mascot.

Whew. Well, you cannot compare oranges to apples. But I've tried to come as close as I can. Gaspez Arts feel a little ambitious in the stretch goals, and a little mean with the free stretch achievements. Vortice have, to my eye, the least easy to differentiate positionals and the least attractive models in general. Still decent though. And Hexy have no track record and may be repeating poses.

I'm up for one (especially if I can play 3 races with it), but which?

[dreamscreator]

Form:
Vórtice Miniatures, a Spanish company with facebook presence only but a few well liked teams made. Sculptor claims to be 'Vortice Miniatures' but in the past they have used the legend 'Pedro Ramos'. it is unclear if this is his work.

It isn't Pedro Ramos. That has been confirmed by Vortice Miniatures.

[Skitters]

I've backed the Gaspez campaign - I feel the models generally look the strongest, though I liked some of the ideas of the other two campaigns (would like to have seen a bit more detail on the Blitzer wings). Generally I felt a number of the Leapers and Kyazak players have awkward looking poses or look a little too squat.

I prefer the Gaspez's more powerful bear style, though I think I would like a version in the Goldilocks zone somewhere between the naked and lightly armoured versions.

For Gaspez I suspect for the three playable teams it will cost a around 145€ (if all 3 big guys options wanted)
Kislev team 79€
Norse crossover 22€ - 24€ (higher price if SG not unlocked, based on 6€ per model)
2 Throwers 12€ (based on add-on cost of coach model)
Snow Troll 15€ (as per campaign)
Ogre 15€ (based on snow troll value)
So around 145€ plus postage.

....would be nice if there was a discounted package for all these models!

I think they have missed a trick by having the Norse crossover so far down the list as I'm pretty sure it would have encouraged a number of increased pledges if it was available as a plain add on. Faced with two rival campaigns 24000€ seems a little too ambitious, particularly as there are no extra free models .

I thought the Leaping Leapers SG for decals was a little different - though the decal design they've used feel a little too generic: think they could have gone for a more cyrillic inspired font

[Rolex]

I backed Gaspez campaign.
The sculpts look amazing. Some of the models are on par or superior with the best the market offers. The ogre is the best I have seen.
I have the bull warriors and I am very satisfied with the product, especially with the metal that is very hard and very high quality.
The quality of the material is something that is often overseen, but for me, as a collector, is quite important.
Given the option between resin and metal I often opt for resin. But with Gaspez I go for metal because the metal they use IMO is amazing quality.

Of the other KS the polish one look OK and have some interesting concepts.
The Vortice one is not on par with their precedent products (which I own).
The bear and the winged guy are nice but many models look poorly sculpted with disproportioned body parts improbable anathomy and/or weird poses.
Pity becuse their products are usually very high level.

[faust_33]

I backed the Gaspez campaign too. I had to back out of the Chaos Dwarf one last time, due to finances, but I'm hoping to hold strong on this one.

@Rolex - thanks for the feedback on Gaspez's metal minis. I was really tempted to get the metal ones, but opted for Resin as I felt it would be harder and more detailed. I guess I know for next time!

[PurpleChest]

The Leaping Leapers are now showing all 4 Blitzers so may be headed to an all unique team. The new 2 include one breakdancing, which is awesome.

That said Kickass Cossacks have my pledge too, just ooze quality, but I dont think they'll make all the stretch goals, and the free stuff is thin. the Leaping leapers have a break dancer and that bear head marker and a free box (if they get there) but the models dont look quite so good to my old eyes, and the vortice ones I dont like at all. As has been said, some of the proportions look weird, and the lack of positional ease of identity is an issue to me.

[Brage97]

Gazpez Kickasses for me too. By a landslide. Their minis are much better sculpted and the bear looks great!

[spubbbba]

It is a real shame all 3 Kislev teams came out at the same time. I like the slann roster as it presents all sort of challenges, so it would be great to see more teams of them at tournaments.

In terms of sculpting quality the Gaspez are easily the best, the but it all comes down to personal preference on the appearance, style and theme of the models.

Hopefully they can all meet their target as it is good to see a greater choice of BB models.

[PurpleChest]

Hexy have confirmed they are aiming for all figures to be unique sculpts.